Objective: To identify the effectiveness of the serious game in improving learning outcomes compared to the different teaching strategies used in the education of nursing students.
Method: Systematic review, conducted from July 2019 to May 2020, at PubMed®, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science and LILACS. Studies of experimental and quasi-experimental design were included, with no delimitation of time frame, aimed at nursing students, who approached the use of the serious game as the main teaching strategy compared with other pedagogical methods.
Results: Six articles were included, which compared the serious game with traditional and active teaching and learning strategies (expository class, text reading and simulation). The studies were considered of moderate quality, with an average score of 12.83. Nursing students submitted to the serious game showed better learning results.
Conclusion: The serious game proved to be more effective for learning in nursing when compared to other teaching strategies.